EBRAHIM Raisi - The African Mirror

Mar

2024

Iran’s president discusses Gaza with Algerian counterpart, Algeria’s presidency says

Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi discussed bilateral relations, energy cooperation, trade and Gaza with Algeria's leader Abdelmadjid Tebboune in a one-day state visit, according to Algeria's presidency. Algeria, a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, backs the Palestinian cause and has called several times for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Jul

2023

By The African Mirror

Eyeing wider trade ties, Iran’s Raisi starts Africa visit

NEWS

IRANIAN President Ebrahim Raisi received red-carpet welcomes from his counterparts in Kenya and Uganda in launching a three-country tour of Africa that Tehran has touted as a "new beginning" in relations with the continent. Raisi's trip to Africa, which will also take him to Zimbabwe, is the first by an Iranian president in more than a decade and represents a bid to diversify Iran's trade relations in the face of crippling U.S. sanctions. Iran stepped up diplomatic outreach to developing world countries after then-U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from Tehran's nuclear accord with world powers in 2018…

Dec

2022

By The African Mirror

Iran state body reports 200 dead in protests, Raisi hails ‘freedoms’

WORLD

PRESIDENT Ebrahim Raisi hailed Iran's Islamic Republic as a guarantor of rights and freedoms, defending the ruling system amid a crackdown on anti-government protests that the United Nations says has cost more than 300 lives. A top state security body meanwhile said that 200 people, including members of the security forces, had lost their lives in the unrest, a figure significantly lower than that given by the world body and rights groups. The protests, in their third month, were ignited by the death of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in the custody of morality police enforcing strict mandatory hijab rules.…

Jun

2021

By The African Mirror

President-elect Raisi backs nuclear talks, rules out meeting Biden

WORLD

PARISA HAFEZI PRESIDENT-ELECT Ebrahim Raisi has backed talks between Iran and six world powers to revive a 2015 nuclear deal but flatly rejected meeting U.S. President Joe Biden, even if Washington removed all sanctions. In his first news conference since he was elected on Friday, the hardline cleric said his foreign policy priority would be improving ties with Iran's Gulf Arab neighbours, while calling on Iran's regional rival Saudi Arabia to immediately halt its intervention in Yemen. Raisi, 60, a strident critic of the West, will take over from pragmatist Hassan Rouhani on August 3 as Iran seeks to salvage…

Jun

2021

By The African Mirror

Iran, world powers adjourn nuclear talks, resumption date unclear

WORLD

FRANCOIS MURPHY and PARISA HAFEZI NEGOTIATORS for Iran and six world powers yesterday adjourned talks on reviving their 2015 nuclear deal and return to respective capitals for consultations as remaining differences still need to be overcome, officials said. "We are now closer than ever to an agreement but the distance that exists between us and an agreement remains and bridging it is not an easy job," Iran's top negotiator Abbas Araqchi told state TV from Vienna. "We will return to Tehran tonight." After more than a week of negotiations in their latest round, parties to the pact wrapped up with…

Jun

2021

By The African Mirror

Hardline judge wins landslide in Iran presidential vote amid low turnout

WORLD

PARISA HAFEZI EBRAHIM Raisi, a hardline judge under U.S. sanctions for human rights abuses, secured a landslide victory yesterday in Iran's presidential election after a contest marked by voter apathy over economic hardships and political restrictions. With some 90% of the 28.6 million ballots counted, Raisi's tally was 17.8 million, interior ministry official Jamal Orfi said, giving him an unassailable lead. Turnout in Friday's four-man race was a record low of around 48%. Appointed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to the high-profile job of judiciary chief in 2019, Raisi was placed under U.S. sanctions a few months later over…